Dear Parents, I wanted to send what I hope will be a reassuring message out to you today. I know you have been hit with so much information this week about our school reopening plan, and I would like to break it down in more "elementary friendly" language for you. Online registration will begin on Tuesday, July 21. If you choose to register your child online you will be given two choices. Choice 1 will be for face to face, in person instruction - what we would consider "normal school" for two days a week. If your child's last name begins with A-L he/she will be going on Mondays and Wednesdays. If your child's last begins with M-Z, he/she will be going on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All children will be doing remote learning on Fridays. If there are siblings living in the same home with different last names, an exception to the rule will be made and I will reach out to those parents specifically to let them know. Choice 2 will be to register for the Vandals All-In Remote Learning which means your child will learn from home all five days of the week and will not come to school in person at all. If you choose this model, Mrs. Misty Philpot will be your child's teacher grades K-5. If you choose this model you will be making a commitment to this for the entire first semester. You will be allowed to reevaluate in January for second semester.
If you do not want to register your child online, you can choose to register in person (with a mask on and following social distancing guidelines for capacity) at the VES office on the following dates from 8:00-3:00. August 3 - Kindergarten; August 4 - 1st grade; August 5 - 2nd grade; August 6 - 3rd grade, August 7 - PreK. The same two options will be available during this time.
Regardless of which option you choose, each child beginning at kindergarten and going through 12th grade will be issued an age appropriate device that they will be trained to use in and out of the classroom. On the days they are at school, they will learn how to use the device as well as learning all the skills that are taught on any other school day in the past. They will go to lunch and recess as normal (without a mask), have specials as normal, learn from their teacher in their classroom as normal, etc. At the beginning the children will take home paper assignments in which to apply the skills they have learned at school. As they become more proficient on their devices, their assignments will be on the device but that will be a transition based on their age. We are working on plans to help families who may not have Internet access.
For Option 1 as an example, let's use Johnny Adams as a fake student.
Monday - Johnny goes to school in Mrs. Jones' class with about 9 other students. Johnny has a normal day of school and takes home his device
Tuesday- Johnny stays home and practices (either on his device or on paper) the skills he learned on Monday
Wednesday-- repeat of Monday
Thursday- repeat of Tuesday
Friday - Johnny stays home and does all or some of the following possibilities based on his teacher expectations and his age:
Google Meets or Zoom meeting with his teacher and classmates on his device
Talks to his teacher on the phone
Complete an application assignment on his device or on paper
Goes on a virtual field trip that his teacher has loaded on his device
Watches videos of his teacher teaching lessons on his device Plays educational games on his device that his teacher has loaded on there
Does a dance video that the Music teacher Mrs. Welch has put on the device
Watches Mrs. Hall (the reading teacher) read a book via a video on his device
There are literally hundreds of possibilities!!!
For Option 2 - Mrs. Philpot is Johnny's teacher. He will meet with her somehow online daily to receive his instruction and guidance. She will do Google Meets or Zoom meetings with him and his grade level classmates on her roster, talk to Johnny and/or his parents on the phone or email, possibly visit Johnny in person occasionally, read stories to Johnny via the computer, show Johnny video examples of how to do assignments, teach Johnny how to use his device - again there are literally hundreds of possibilities! It will look similar to what we did in the spring but will be more intense and personalized for "each" Johnny! These students will recognize Mrs. Philpot's face and they will know she is their teacher.
I hope this post helped you! I will entertain questions on this post but please be patient with me in answering them. :)
Mrs. Mesnard, VES Principal
Regarding school supply lists: VES school supply lists have been sent to Walmart. I don't know for sure when they will begin displaying them. They are also posted on the district website. I realize that you will be purchasing a lot of school supplies like every other year. Some of those will need to be kept at home and some will need to be sent to school. We will not be able to have Come and Go Day this year so the first day of school for some K-3 students will be on August 17 and some on August 18 depending on the first letter of your last name. School supplies will need to be brought on this day. The school supply list (depending on the grade level) states that you need a couple of boxes of crayons, a couple of packs of pencils, etc. Please keep one box/set/package of crayons, pencils, glue stick, erasers, paper at home for the remote learning days and send the rest of the school supplies to school on day #1 with your child. If it is on you list, just do the best you can to find paper towels, Wet Wipes, GermX, etc. as we know those products can be hard to come by at this time.
Please see our letter on the Reopening of Schools for 20-21.
Dear Parent,
The Limo Ride to Pizza Hut reward has been scheduled for Monday, July 6 - that's tomorrow! If you wish for your child to participate, the plan is as follows:
Limo ride to Charters Patio - downtown Vandalia- Pizza Hut is not open for inside dining, but is open for take out. Because of this, a VES teacher will be picking up pizza and drinks and delivering it to the patio downtown. Mrs. Mesnard and a VES teacher will ride in the limo with the students from the VES circle drive to Charters Patio where we will eat lunch. The limo will then bring us back to VES to the circle drive to be picked up by a parent. Half of the students will be doing this from 11:00-12:00 and the other half from 12:00-1:00. Please check below for your child's name so you will know what time to have him/her at the school. I will be taking a couple of VES staff members with me for this trip. Your child's drink options will be Pepsi or Dr. Pepper. All children will be given a child sized mask for the trip.
11:00-12:00 - Mailee Cole, Tyler Frailey, Phoebe Devall, Tucker Wilburn, Parker Braman, Bentley Smith, Ryder Dunaway, Kenlee Payne, Maekenzie Kissiar, Leeland Ladner, Peyton Norris, Paisley Nickels, Jace Sapp, Lilly Craycroft, Raven Evans, Bentley Edwards, Addy Bowling, Hailey Thomason, Reagan Tate, Natalia Rountree, Benton Hickerson - PLEASE HAVE YOUR CHILD AT THE VES CIRCLE DRIVE AT 10:50
12:00-1:00 - Caroline Hunter, Lilyana Valencia, Owen Langston, Hollis Cole, Molly Willenborg, Jaxson Washburn, Bryon Manley, Kamden Knebel, Cohen Kruenegel, Brooklyn Burnam, Klaire Smith, Payton Gathe, Clayton Crockett, Oliver Whitehead, Danielle Stewart, Hollace Eckhardt - PLEASE HAVE YOUR CHILD AT THE VES CIRCLE DRIVE AT 11:50
If you have questions please let me know via email at smesnard@vandals203.org.
Mrs. Mesnard, Principal
Please see my letter on the release of the Restore IL Phase 4 Transition Joint Guidance for schools. #VandalStrong
To submit a public comment prior to the 6/23/20 board meeting please fill this form: https://forms.gle/XHeb7e11wLHusLh39
CUSD Special Board Meeting Live stream: Here is the link to view the virtual board meeting on 6.23.2020 at 5pm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkXtKBEsY50
The VES 2019-2020 yearbooks and class pictures have finally arrived! If you ordered one you may pick it up at the VES office beginning Monday, June 22 any Monday-Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 (but not from 11:00-12:00) or any Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Sorry everyone here is the new live stream link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDkny8kcnwE
To submit a public comment prior to the 6/16/20 board meeting please fill this form:
https://forms.gle/TRe8fCRBqjMTDRq5A
CUSD Board Meeting Live stream: Here is the link to view the virtual board meeting on 6.16.2020 at 5pm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVs9gH8kGG4
Please fill out our transportation form by this Friday 6/19/2020
https://forms.gle/TyVtCGxtEeWZY9Ty5
2020/2021 School year transportation form:
https://forms.gle/8EDX7zmAGW4owyWk9
SIU Virtual Summer Camps and Programs are now open for registration! These camps are enriching, educational, and fun for children of all ages and available in a variety of online platforms. link:
https://conferenceservices.siu.edu/_common/documents/camps/summer-camps-flyer.pdf
Today is our last day of meal distribution- please make sure you pick up the 8 meals going out today or be ready for the delivery if the bus comes to you. Thanks!
Mrs. Graumenz's last zoom with her first grade students. They read about what they learned and enjoyed in first grade and played "race to name it " game. I'm so proud of all of them!!
The Summer Lunches for Kids program is organized by Northside Christian Church from June 1st - August 7th. Please see attached flyers for distribution and donation information.
CUSD Board Meeting Live stream: Here is the link to view the virtual board meeting on 5.19.2020 at 5pm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tcFn-svl2A
Mrs. Graumenz's friends zooming and reading their writing"I am proud of myself because..."
We are excited to begin planning for the 20-21 school year and would appreciate feedback as we transition back to school. Themes will be identified in the survey responses as next steps in our planning. We can't wait to see your smiling faces! https://forms.gle/FiuTGAYH25UzvjGK7